A Love for the Decades
by keekeebaker
Summary: An older Keith Partridge love story, where he finally finds the one but may loose her because of Danny, can their love survive everything that life has to throw at them?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 – Desperation

The bed sheets twist tighter around her unyielding body as the sound of her heart pounds against her eardrums, mocking her with each of its rhythmic life giving beats. Mechanically droning to her, 'You are still alive and healthy while his life is hanging in the balance.' Images of his beloved face flashes behind her closed eyelids; of him laughing with her as his dark eyes dance mischievously, of the smouldering look that passes across his face whenever she catches him watching her, of him turning his big dark eyes to her as tears well within them and of his silent and peaceful face as he lays unconscious, hanging between the balance of life and death. Her pulse quickens as the sheet binds itself around her, trapping her in the endless and unforgiving nightmare that has become her life since the accident. The sound of his hoarse and pain filled voice calling out her name fills her senses and every inch of her soul.

The car tyres screeched to a halt outside the San Pueblo General Hospital was the first sound that Paige had heard since the two police officers had knocked upon her door and informed her of Keith's accident. She ran through the parking lot and pushed the swinging doors open and gained entry to the confined and sparsely furnished waiting room. "Where is he?" Paige whispered to the occupants of the small room.

Shirley and Charlie rushed forward and held her between them, Shirley sobbed quietly on her shoulder as she whispered Keith's name over and over as if saying his name would bring him back to them.

Charlie murmured, "He's dead, Paige, Tommy's dead."

"WHERE IS HE?" Paige screamed as tears slipped down her pretty face; grief gripped at her heart for her brother as fear for her husband welled within her.

A sympathetic looking woman dressed in blood stained surgery scrubs, approached the huddled group and stated quietly, "Mrs. Partridge, Paige Partridge, I'm Dr. Kovach."

"Yes, can you please take me to Keith?" she managed to choke out.

"Please come with me, Mrs. Partridge, we need to talk for a moment and then I will take you to your husband," Dr. Kovach replied as she led Paige down what seemed to her to be endless corridors, past untold and unseeing patients and into a small cluttered office. "Please have a seat, Mrs. Partridge."

Paige dropped into the hard-backed plastic chair, the keys to the car Keith had given her; a mad romantic gesture on his part years ago, still held tightly within her hand. She looked up to meet the doctor's eyes and Paige whispered, "Please tell me how Keith is."

Dr. Julia Kovach began by saying, "First off, I'd like to say how sorry I am about the loss of your brother. I didn't work on him but his doctor told me that he'd lost too much blood and had sustained a series of head injuries. Would you like to speak with your brother's doctor?"

Paige shook her head no as her eyes dropped to the keys that she still held in her hand as tears filled her pretty eyes before she looked up once more and whimpered, "Please tell me how Keith is."

Julia Kovach nodded and took a deep breath, she had never been very good at informing people that their loved ones were probably not going to make it, but this time is seemed a thousand times worse. She had always been a fan of the Partridge Family and Keith especially and now she was forced to tell his wife that she might soon become a widow. 'How am I to tell this still so young woman that Keith's life is hanging precariously in the balance? And that he might slip from this world at any moment?' A silent tear passed her red-rimmed eyes. The doctor jumped slightly as she felt Paige's hand rest softly on her own. She looked up and was surprised to see Paige smiling sadly at her, a smile that did not reach her heartbroken eyes.

Paige whispered, "It's alright Doctor, you can tell me, Keith's going to die, isn't he?"

Julia cleared the tears from her throat and spoke with a voice more confident than she felt, "We're not sure. It's up to Keith to decide to live or…die. I'm sorry."

"Please tell me what happened," Paige whispered as tears slipped from her eyes.

Pulling herself together, Julia was surprised that she felt she had to be strong for the stranger who was being strong for her. "As far as we can make out, Keith's car was approaching the off-ramp on the highway, somehow the car swerved back and Keith missed seeing the truck that had approached on his blind side. The driver's side of the car ran straight into the truck, your husband and brother took the full brunt of the accident. Your brother was DOA on arrival and Keith has sustained a lot of internal damage and a head wound. He has been slipping in and out of consciousness but when he has been conscious, he has been asking for you. I'm sorry that I can't tell you more, Mrs. Partridge but I've already said we will have to wait and see if Keith chooses to wake."

"How's Danny?" Paige asked suddenly, her voice choked with tears.

"He's fine, he only sustained a few cuts and some bruising, we're keeping him in just to be on the safe side."

Paige nodded as tears continued to slip from her eyes, "Good, Shirley couldn't take losing both Danny and…" her voice becoming choked with tears.

"I'm very sorry, Mrs. Partridge. Is there anything that I can do for you? We will leave all the paperwork regarding your brother until later; maybe someone else in your family can handle it?"

"Can you please take me to Keith now?"

"Yes of course."

Paige was once again led through a warren of corridors and passages, their journey only at an end when they arrived at the large ICU. The curtain was pulled aside slowly and there laying pale and drawn before her, drifting in and out of consciousness was Keith. The sound of Keith desperately calling out her name spurred Paige into action and she rushed to his side and took his hand in hers. She ran her hand through his hair and whispered, "Keith, darling."

Keith opened his slightly glazed eyes and looked at her. He smiled weakly and reached up and brushed the side of her face and croaked, "You're the most beautiful thing that ever happened in my life. I'll always love you."

Paige, her face was wet from tears as she managed to choke out, "Don't talk like that. You're going to be okay. You've got to be," unable to truly believe that she may be losing him.

Keith whispered in reply, "Shh, don't cry," suddenly his breath was taken from him by a fit of coughing, his whole body jerking with the motion. Paige held him and tried to take his pain away. When the coughing fit had stopped, he continued, "Don't cry. Kiss me and tell me how much you love me."

She leant forward and took his lips in a slow, sweet kiss. She pulled her lips a little from his so that he could see her eyes and the truth of her words as she sobbed, "I love you more than life itself. You've got to live because I don't know how I'd live without you."

He looked at her with anger in his face as he said as loudly as he could, "You must keep going, live for me, darling. If something happens to me, you've got to promise me that you're going to keep living. Do you promise me?"

Paige nodded her head and vowed, "I promise."

"Kiss me again, Paige my love."

She placed her lips softly upon his and whispered, "I love you Keith," as her silent tears fells upon his pale face.

Keith had only held onto consciousness long enough to tell Paige how much he loved her and to get her to promise him that if he did die that she would continue living for him. Having done so and with her sweet lips upon his, Keith Partridge surrendered to the tiredness that was threatening to overpower him and he slipped once more into unconsciousness.

Fear gripped at Paige's heart as her hold on Keith's hand tightened and she looked up into the awaiting doctor's face and said, "He's not…"

Dr. Kovach smiled as she replied, "No, he's not dead, Mrs. Partridge. He's just slipped back into unconsciousness. We're going to be moving him into a private ICU room tomorrow, so you and the family can have your privacy. For now we need to keep a close eye on him, tomorrow in the single room you can come and sit with him for as long as you wish."

Paige nodded, kissed Keith's blue tinted lips once more and reluctantly left. "Thank you, Dr. Kovach."

Paige awoke from her nightmare and screams out, "KEITH!" She reaches for him, only to find his side of the bed empty. Her eyelids slip open, as the tears again begin to fall from her over-red eyes. She crawls over to his side of the bed and buries her face in the pillow. Every night since Keith's accident, less than a week ago, she had woken up screaming his name out in terror. Her life has been a continuous roller coaster of highs and lows as she waits for Keith to awake or remain asleep forever.

She looks to his bedside table and sees the book that he is halfway through reading; still open to the exact page with his reading glasses thrown carelessly on top. She hopes with all her heart that Keith will return to her and be able to finish reading the book. The now crumpled note that he had left her on his pillow the morning of the accident sits beside the book. It reads:

_Paige my love,_

_I know that you wanted me to wake you before I left with Danny and Tom but you looked so peaceful, I didn't have the heart too. Wait up for me to come home, my love and I'll make it up to you. I'll be back with you as soon as I can. I love you, always._

_Your ever loving,_

_Keith_

Paige's body is racked with uncontrolled sobs. Her sobs echo around her empty heart, within their silent room, within their cavernous house that had never felt that way when Keith was with her, until eventually she drags herself from their bed and showers and dresses for Tom's funeral, then goes to the hospital to await with a still too silent Keith, the time that she would be witness to her oldest brother being put into the cold, hard ground.

The day of Tom's funeral is as dark, brooding and sombre as all those who attend it. The large church that holds his service echoes with the voices of the few people that felt they could stand and talk of the quiet and loveable man. Finally prayers were offered for the quick and full recovery of Keith. A tear had not yet slipped from Paige's eyes, not at the funeral nor as Tom's coffin was slowly lowered into the cold ground. All those there began to disburse and head for the long black cars that had brought them to this unhappy place.

Danny approaches Paige, his face awash with tears and he whispers to her, choking back a sob, "Sorry isn't anywhere near adequate enough but it's all that I can say. I am so sorry Paige that I took your brother from you and maybe even Keith."

Paige steps forward and takes Danny into a tight hug and allows the man to cry over the near loss of his brother and the loss of hers, she eventually whispers, "I forgive you Danny."

He whispers back, "But what if Keith dies? Will he forgive me for taking you from him? You're the most important and loved thing in his life and I might have taken him from you."

She pulls back from him and takes hold of his face with her hands and says, "Of course he forgives you, Danny. He loves you. He is so proud of you, so proud that you want to return to rehab again." Paige releases him and begins to walk away from the man before she turns to look back over her shoulder and adds, "I want you to do one thing for me though, Danny."

"Anything Paige, anything you want."

"Go back to rehab and get clean this time, at least do that for Keith and for your family."

"I will, Paige. I promise that I will." Danny watches as Paige turns and walks back to the graveside, a solitary figure standing looking down into her elder brother's grave as she finally lets the tears come unbidden as she crumples down onto the wet dark earth.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 – Fear and Longing

Two weeks since Tom's funeral and the last words that Paige Partridge had spoken to anyone; had been to Danny asking him to return to rehab and get clean this time for his brother. Even Jay had been unable to get a word from her and she loved him as her own. She has lost weight that she could not afford to lose. She refuses to see any of the family and they had all begged and pleaded with her but to no avail. She has even refused to leave the house and return to the hospital to be with Keith.

Charlie had been watching his sister slowly die of a broken heart. Her world had stopped, hung in mid-air since Keith's accident. His own heart had been broken over the loss of their brother and the fear of losing Keith as were all of those belonging to the Partridge family. But he feared with all of his soul that he was going to be losing his younger sister, the one continuous in his life. He feared for her, feared for Keith, feared for himself and finally feared for all those in their family.

He returns to 1009 Cactus Lane and bangs on the door and demands entry into his sister's world but as he had expected; he receives no reply. He turns the key in the lock and pushes the heavy engraved wooden door open and finds her curled up on the settee in the lounge, a vial of dirt from the graveyard held in one hand while the note from Keith is held in the other. He threw the blanket back that had covered her and pulls Paige to her feet, surprised by how thin she has become. He places shoes on her feet and a jacket about her shoulders and led her carefully out to his car, locking the door behind them.

Charlie talks to Paige; a light hearted conversation as he filled her in on all the family's antics and Danny's admission into rehab, all the things that had occurred while Paige had endured her self-imposed exile. Pulling the car into the hospital car park, Charlie again went around too help Paige stand. It was then that she began to react, fighting him off; screaming, begging, crying, asking him not to make her enter.

Paige had only been half-consciously aware of the activities that had played about her since Keith's accident. She had returned home from the funeral and had retreated to the safety of her own mind, a safety where Keith was still alive and they were still happy, not where Keith was fighting for his life without her there by his side. She had heard the heavy banging on the front door and heard Charlie call her name but she had no reaction to it, had not reacted to his sudden entry into her home, his throwing the blanket off her, putting her shoes and jacket on and his taking her out to his car, everything just felt like she was in a dream. And now Charlie had brought her to the very heart of her fear, the hospital where Keith was, "Please Charlie, no, I can't, don't make me, please Charlie. NO!" she screams as she tries to pull her arms from his grip.

Charlie grabs a hold of her arms and begins to shout in return, anger coursing through him, "How dare you not be here with Keith? You claim to love him and yet you haven't been here once in the whole time that he's been fighting for his life, he's fighting for you. Do you want him to die? Is that what you want?"

Paige shakes her head as tears slip from her eyes and she whispers, "I'm afraid."

He pulls her to him and hugs her tightly and whispers in return, "We're all afraid, Paige. But he's not going to come back for anyone of us. It's you that he's waiting for. It's you that he'll choose to live for, just for you!"

She nods; she had not meant to shut everyone out, least of all Keith but she could not face anyone and their pain while hers was so overwhelming her. She wipes the tears from her face and strides purposely towards the entrance of the hospital and to her so nearly lost love.

Shirley has felt a grief within her soul, one like she had never felt before; to lose Dan when the children were so small had been painful but if she were to lose Keith now, a part of her would die with him and now it seemed that they had lost Paige already. She had been missing since the day of Tom's funeral, Shirley had tried to get in contact with her in every way possible, even by sending her a telegram in the vain hope of getting a response from her but all seemed useless. Her fear and frustration had finally gotten the better of her and with Laurie along for moral support they had gone to Keith and Paige's home, but alas it was to no avail. Fear grips at her very soul and it was to Charlie's that they now headed in the hope that he will have heard from his twin sister.

It is Jay that opens the door for them with a shout of, "Grandma, Aunty Lar!"

Charlie comes out of the kitchen, a dishtowel in his hand and an apron about his waist. He takes them both in a tight hug before he says, "Come with me into the kitchen, I've got a cake in the oven."

Shirley and Laurie smile and follow him, both sitting at the kitchen table.

Turning to look at the two women from the oven, Charlie asks, "Have you heard from Danny yet?"

Shirley shakes her head replying, "No, it will be a couple more weeks before we can go up and see him but his case worker says that he's doing as well as can be expected. He's getting counselling to help him deal with the…accident." Her voice cracks and she is unable to continue.

Charlie places the cake on the wire rack and turns to Shirley, wrapping his arms around her shoulders as he asks, "How are the both of you doing?"

Laurie smiles sadly as tears well within her eyes, "We're all holding up, Charlie. What about you?"

He shakes his head a little as a sad expression crosses his face, "I'm doing what I can because of Jay."

Laurie takes his hand and continues, "We'll be alright as long as we stay together."

Charlie nods his head as he takes a seat between the two women. The three remain silent; lost in their own thoughts, merely taking comfort from each other's presence as they watch him slice up the still warm cake from the oven.

Laurie eventually breaks the silence by asking, "Has your lawyer been able to track down Tom's wife?"

Shaking his head with tears in his eyes, Charlie replies, "No, no luck so far. From what Tommy told us they hadn't been together for a while, I just wish we'd had more time to," his voice cracks as he continues, "To get to know him."

Laurie squeezes his hand in comfort as Shirley adds, "Charlie, we've been worried about Paige. Everyone has been trying to ring her to see how she is doing but we haven't gotten any reply. Today Laurie and I went over to their house but we couldn't get any answer."

"I saw Paige today."

Shirley is shocked for a moment at Charlie's quiet admission, the anger within her suddenly boils up and she shouts, "Why didn't Paige open the door to me? I'm Keith's mother, I'm going through the same pain and anguish that she's going through. I love Paige like she was one of my own, both of you. If she was there why didn't she open the door to me, if she'd open it to you?"

Charlie shakes his head as he covers her hand with his before replying, "She didn't open the door for me. I used my spare key, I think that she'd forgotten that she'd given it to me and dragged her from the house and took her to the hospital, she is with Keith now as we speak."

"We should go and see her," Shirley says as she begins to stand.

"She wouldn't want that. She needs time alone with Keith, needs time to grieve for Tom," Charlie states, his voice cracking with tears.

Shirley shakily asks, "Will we lose her if we lose Keith?"

Two silent tears slip from Charlie's eyes, a tear each for Paige and Keith. He nods his head saying, "Yes, but she won't kill herself, she's already promised to live for Keith but we will lose her. She'll pack up the house and be gone an hour after…Keith dies. And maybe if we're lucky, in twenty years we'll see her in a mall, walking down a boulevard or in a restaurant. We'll instantly recognize her, but she won't be the same as the sweet, beautiful, loving woman that we know now. She'll be hard, bitter and won't have a shred of care, love or compassion within her soul."

Jay interrupts their conversation by coming into the kitchen shouting, "Uncle Keith is on the telly."

The mother, sister and brother-in-law follow Jay back into the lounge, to see a news report concerning Keith, the accident and the death of Tom. The three pull closer together as the tears begin to fall once more. They watch as they see Keith sweep Paige up into a passionate kiss as the news anchor states, "Footage of Keith with his young wife Paige Gallagher, a well-known violinist, on the red carpet at an award ceremony. Keith and Danny Partridge and Paige Gallagher's older brother Thomas Gallagher a solicitor with a well-known firm in Europe were involved in an accident on the San Francisco freeway. Their car ran into the side of truck, Thomas Gallagher was killed instantly. Danny Partridge walked away from the accident unscathed; he is believed to be in a treatment facility for a long suspected drug addiction. Though the condition of Keith Partridge has not be released, it is believed that he sustained a serious head injury and has yet to regain consciousness. Ms. Gallagher has been unavailable for comment."

Paige knew that Keith would still be unconscious, if he was not she would have received a phone call telling her by now. But a little part of her hoped that when she pushed open the door that Keith would be sitting up in bed with a smile playing about his face and his arms open wide to her. But alas he was still pale, still unconscious and still too still. Carefully, she perched herself on the edge of the hard hospital bed, and sat watching his face hoping, pleading and wishing that she could look into his big dark eyes.

Eventually with every care to Keith's fragile and battered body, Paige picks up his limp hand, holding it tightly within her own. Leaning forward, she slowly kisses his lips. Pulling away she runs the pad of her thumb over his slightly blue lips. She taps gently at his nose as she whispers with tears in her voice, "Keith, are you in there? You'd better be, I can't do this alone. I need you… Remember when the roles were reversed? When it was me lying unconscious and you sitting beside me willing me to wake, I came back to you and now it's your turn to come back to me…"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 – Waiting

It rained rarely in San Pueblo but when it did, it rained heavily and tonight was one of those nights. Keith Partridge was driving back from the airport after a long tour, heading towards his Mom's home on Sycamore Lane. It was a family tradition that once a month all the family would get together and he had missed the last six meals.

It was as he reached the driveway of 698 Sycamore Lane that it happened. He saw the single headlight of a motorbike rounding the corner in the road in his rear-view mirror just as a large sedan came careening out of control from the opposite direction. The motorbike was hit hard, sending it spiralling in front of his just stopped car and through the white picket fence, the motorbike only ending its devastating path by slamming hard into the side of the multi-coloured school bus; the rider being thrown high in the air to land hard on the front lawn.

Keith bent down and shook the young woman softly but she did not stir. He touched her hand and was surprised at how cold her skin felt. Fearing for her life, he pressed his hand against her neck, searching for a pulse. When he did eventually find one, it was weak and erratic. He took his leather coat off and placed it carefully over her too still body, trying to keep her warm. Keith leant forward and whispered through the rain, "Hold tight, you're going to be fine. I'll just be gone a minute, I'm going to phone for an ambulance and then I'll be back. Okay?"

He had not really expected an answer but a little part of him had hoped. He bolted inside, the rain streaming off him as he panted, "There's been an accident; a young woman's been knocked off her motorbike. Call an ambulance and tell them to hurry. Her pulse is hardly there."

The occupants of the house were stunned for a moment before all rushed into action. Shirley followed her son out into the rain. Laurie picked up the phone and dialled 911. Chris grabbed his medical bag and followed his mother and brother out into the dark night. Tracy and Danny stood unsure of how best to help eventually decided to follow the others to the front lawn, each taking with them an umbrella.

Keith again returned to the pale and bruised but beautiful woman. He brushed the hair lightly from her face as he whispered, "See I told you that I'd be back in a moment and I was. We're ringing for an ambulance." Looking up he saw Chris rush out the front door, holding the woman's hand, he added, "Any my younger brother's a doctor, he's going to take care of you until it comes."

Chris crouched down beside his brother and the woman and said, "Keith, find her pulse and hold it. Tell me if you lose it, if you do then we'll have to start CPR. Otherwise we'll keep her still until the ambulance arrives."

Shirley trusted her youngest son to the care of the woman, she looked at the mess that had once been her picket fence, following the trail of debris, she saw the wreckage of what was a motorbike smashed into the side of the old school bus that still held so many memories. A shudder ran through her, as she offered up a silent prayer for the hurt and unconscious woman that lay on her lawn.

Keith suddenly gripped Chris' arm hard, panic in his voice as he nearly screamed, "There's no pulse!"

Chris went into immediate action, throwing Keith's leather coat to the side and pulling her own jacket open. Finding her breastbone, Chris linked his hands and pushed down on the still chest, counting to five before he looked to Keith, who puffed a lung full of air into the cold, blue lips.

Five minutes had passed and the ambulance was still nowhere to be seen and the unconscious woman was still not breathing for herself. Shirley could see that her two sons were growing weak however they continued on, both determined to do all they could to keep this stranger alive. Shirley turned to Laurie and asked, "How long did they say that the ambulance would be?"

"Within ten minutes," Laurie replied.

Shirley nodded and hoped that her sons could continue to push life into the silent woman.

A minute before the ambulance could be heard coming down Sycamore Lane, Keith felt a slight thud against his cold fingers pressed against her neck. "Chris, I think I felt a pulse."

Chris sat back and waited as he watched for the rise of the woman's chest. Eventually her chest rose by itself, he checked the pulse and found it, still weak but definitely there. He covered her again with Keith's jacket and the group turned at the sound of the ambulance as it pulled hard up in front of Keith's parked car.

The paramedics placed the woman on a stretcher but not before checking her vitals, linking her to a heart monitor and inserting an IV drip. As she was placed in the ambulance, a paramedic turned toward the group of gathered people and said, "Now if one of you would like to come with her there is room."

Keith immediately stepped toward the open doors of the ambulance.

Shirley from behind him said, "No, I think that we'll stay here. She's not family, my son saw the accident and called the ambulance. We'll ring in the morning to see how she's doing."

The sound of the ambulance could be heard long after it had turned out of Sycamore Lane. A scowl crossed Keith's face as he turned from watching the ambulance turn out of sight. He grimaced at Shirley as the rain streamed down his soaked, wet hair and drenched clothes.

Shirley linked arms with him and headed them toward the warm comfort of the house and said, "You couldn't have gone to the hospital soaking wet. Come in, get dry, eat and then you can go to the hospital. You're manager Terry wouldn't be pleased if you caught a cold this close to your next tour."

Keith nodded his reluctant agreement, as he knew that Terry Reign would be furious with him if he caught a cold. He had insisted that Terry post-pone the last week of the tour so that he could return home and spend a week with his family. The family that he had not seen for the last six months, he had seen them individually at a gig when he was in a town close to where they lived. For the five minutes between the end of the concert and his being bundled into the train, coach or taxi to the airport before being sent to yet another town, another concert venue and yet another hotel. He had not even met Tracy's new boyfriend and they had been dating for the last five months.

But now as he sat at the dinner table, warm from the shower and with dry clothes once more about his person. He was warm in his body but not his soul, he should have been happy to be with his family, it was what he had wanted after all. But all he could think of was the beautiful, young blonde haired woman that had suddenly crashed into his life; that he and Chris had fought to save, fought to breathe life into her lifeless body.

He sat and picked at his food, not eating is just moving it about the plate as thoughts of her ran through his mind, 'Had she stopped breathing on the way to the hospital? Had they been unable to restore life to her again? Had she died from her injuries? Was she still unconscious? Or was she sitting awake, wondering who the dark haired stranger had been that had stayed with her, talked to her and helped to breathe life into her?'

Shirley sat and watched the eldest of her brood, knowing that the young woman that had been knocked off her motorbike by a skidding car had clearly affected her son. A sad almost far away expression crossed his tired face as she saw a look of almost longing for a normal life. For the life that the rest of her children had accepted when they had left the music business to their teens and childhood and moved on with their lives. She decided that she would get Reuben to talk with Mr. Reign and insist that he ease up on Keith's tour schedule, let him have some time off, time to be himself not the always on, always perfect Keith Partridge, which was far from the true nature of her son.

The meal was finished and Keith feigned tiredness from his long and busy tour schedule and prepared to leave. At the door Shirley approached him, taking his arm she whispered, "Don't stay too long at the hospital, see how she is, convince yourself that she's going to be okay and then leave. You can return tomorrow, you've only a few days until you're on tour again. Enjoy your time off; don't sit at the hospital worrying over a stranger. Promise me?"

Keith smiled at his mother, leaned in and kissed her cheek. He turned and left the house, quietly shutting the door behind him without promising her anything.

Shirley shook her head as he watched him leave, knowing her son, she knew that he would stay at the hospital until he was forced to leave and would wait with her until the tour started again in the vain hope that she would wake while he was there and he could learn the name of the woman that had affected him so.

As he approached the front counter, Keith shook his head with a rueful smile about his face, thinking back to his mother's statement before he left the house, she knew him far too well, knew that he would come here this night in the hope of seeing the young blonde haired woman again. He leant on the counter, Keith said to the pretty nurse behind it as he flashed his most winning smile, "Hi."

"Hello, can I help you?"

"Yes, I hope so. A young woman was brought into the hospital earlier this evening, she had a motorbike accident. I was wondering if you could tell me how she is doing and if it would be possible for me to see her."

The nurse nodded, flattered that the famous and attractive Keith Partridge was smiling seductively at her replying, "I'll page Dr. Blaine for you, he's assigned to her case. If you'd like to take a seat over there, I'm sure that he won't be long and if there's anything that you need don't hesitate to come to me."

Within ten minutes as the nurse had promised a tall dark doctor was approaching him, with a questioning look upon his face and the man said, "Hello, I'm Dr. Blaine."

Keith stood and extended his hand and asked, "Hello, I'd like to know the condition of the young woman that was brought in here earlier, she was in an accident; she'd been knocked off her motorbike by a car."

"Are you family?"

Keith with a winning smile in place once more replied, "I'm the closest thing that she has got, Dr. Blaine, I'm her fiancée."

"Does she not have any blood relatives?"

Keith lost the smile and gained an expression of complete sadness and replied, "No, I'm afraid that she doesn't, Doctor. I'm all that she's got."

Relenting Dr. Blaine replied, "You seem very concerned for her well-being. I mean you must be, to blatantly lie to me like that. I know that you're Keith Partridge and I'm certain that if you had become engaged every newspaper and magazine in the country would be working overtime on the story."

Keith smiled sheepishly and said, "I'm sorry. Will you please tell me how she is? I was the one that found her."

Nodding, the doctor sat down in the plastic seats as Keith did the same. Blaine sighed, took a deep breath and prepared himself to begin, it had been a long night and the last thing that he needed was to see such a beautiful young woman's life hanging precariously in the balance through a silly accident, he began by saying, "We've managed to stitch up the gash down her side but I'm afraid that she will always have a slight scar. Her sprained ankle has been bandaged. At the moment, though we are most concerned about checking for internal bleeding, replacing the blood that she lost and ensuring that her heart doesn't stop again. I understand that it is due to you and your brother that she's still alive now."

Keith nodded and took a shaky breath, before he asked, "Has she regained consciousness?"

"No, she may wake in a few minutes or it may take a few days or…"

Keith finished his thought, "Or she may not wake at all."

Dr. Blaine nodded sadly and replied, "I'm sorry. We are just unable to tell. She must choose to wake herself."

Keith with misty eyes asked, "Can I go in and see her?"

"Only for a few minutes, she's still very weak."

The young woman was laid upon the bed, the covers pulled up to around her waist. She had been put into a hospital gown; a drip in her arm was pumping blood back into her. She looked paler then she did when she was lying on the front lawn.

Keith again took her hand and sat on the chair next to the bed. Minutes passed as Keith gazed upon her, eventually sleep claimed him and his head slipped forward on the bed to rest on their combined hands.

It was an hour before the nurse on nights came around to check on the youngest of her patients, only in there due to an accident and the kindness of a stranger. She was surprised to see a man who appeared to be sound asleep; as she approached the bed in the half-dark she thought for a moment that the dark mane haired man was Keith Partridge but immediately dismissed the idea, shaking his shoulder, she whispered, "What are you doing in here?"

Blinking the sleep from his eyes, he rubbed his hand across his face as he croaked, "Dr. Blaine said that I could sit with her for a few minutes."

Huffing, the nurse replied, "Yes, well I'm sure that he did. However, visiting time have been over for hours, I'm afraid that you will have to leave."

Not prepared or ready to leave, Keith's grip on the young silent woman's hand increased as he pouted at the nurse and pleaded, "Can't I stay, just a little longer?"

A smile played about the nurse's lips, "I'm sorry you can't, she needs her rest. Why don't you come and see her tomorrow, during proper visiting hours?"

Keith blinked owlishly at the nurse as a smile broke across his face, nodding, he said, "I will." Standing, he placed her hand gently back at her side before he leant forward so his face was merely inches from hers and whispered, "I will be back to see you tomorrow. I promise." He brushed his lips gently over her forehead, hoping that this young woman would wake in the next three days before his tour started again.

But alas she did not wake before the beginning of Keith's tour and he was forced to board the plane without yet knowing the name of the strange, intoxicating woman that haunted his very dreams.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 - Searching

A month had passed and Paige Gallagher, owner of the crumpled, written-off motorbike that had run into the multi-coloured bus and the face of the unknown woman of Keith's dreams was being released from the hospital into the care of her older twin brother Charlie and it was he that she was waiting for as she began packing up the few things that had been brought into the stark hospital room for her. Approaching the wardrobe, her heart was in her mouth for she knew within held the clothes that she had been wearing the night of the accident. Quickly and trying to ignore the blood, her blood that covered the items, she stuffed the black pants, cotton top that had once been white but was now the colour of rust and leather jacket into the small holdall. She pushed the door too and paused, pulling the door open once more. Paige reached for the long dark brown leather coat that had hung beside her own. A puzzled expression crossed her face as she tried to think of how this could have become mixed up with her own things, as she moved to place it back in the wardrobe, the smell of aftershave that hung about it stopped her. Putting the coat to her face, she breathed deeply, the smell brought back a half-remembered memory of the night of the accident. There had been a man; one whose face she had not seen but whose deep, smooth voice had comforted her and told her that all would be well and who without knowing, she believed, trusted and wanted to see again. It was this need and want that made her place the dark leather coat into the holdall with her own clothing.

Keith had returned on the red-eye to San Pueblo exactly two months after the day he had left, his first thoughts were of retracing his heavy steps to the hospital and the bedside of his much thought of stranger. Flowers in hand, he knocked softly on the door and pushed it open, surprised to see a middle-aged man lying in the bed, not the beautiful blond haired woman he had hoped for. He smiled apologetically and said, "Sorry, I must have the wrong room." Closing the door behind him, he returned to the nurses' station and asked, "I'm looking for the young woman that was in room 89. Can you please tell me where she is?"

The nurse, a woman of strict rule and moral standards, pulling the computer keyboard toward her, a half-snide snarl upon her face as she asked, "Can you tell me her name?"

Keith shook his head and replied, "No, I'm sorry I never knew it. She was still unconscious the last time I saw her."

"Hmm, yes well," she said as she began to type. 'Typical musician,' she thought, 'met the woman once, got her high on something had his wicked way with her and off. Not bothering to even get her name.' Her hands flew across the keyboard as she asked, "When was she in here?"

Keith thought for a moment before he replied, "About two months ago."

Nodding, her hands stopped suddenly as she had found the information that she was looking for, looking up she said, "It appears that the young woman's been released into the care of a relative nearly a month ago and just as well from the look of things."

A slight frown crossed Keith's face as he returned the nurse's hostile look but it did not last long as the relief of finding that his stranger had not succumbed to her injuries and passed from this world washed over him, he asked, "Can you give me her name and address?"

The nurse shook her head, "No, I cannot, it's against the law."

A panicked look passed across his face as he begged, "But you must, I need to see her."

Snorting, the nurse replied, "Well, you should have thought of that before."

Panic was evident in his voice as Keith nearly shouted, "Where's Nurse Sheldon? I want to speak with her."

With an exasperated look the nurse replied as she stood, "She is not on today! She's on the evening shift tomorrow night. You'll have to come back then. Now if you'll excuse me, I must go I have to attend to my patients."

Keith watched her go, fear and anguish coursed through him. He snatched up his flowers once more and returned to his car with every intention of going back to the hospital the next day to speak with Nurse Sheldon in the hope that she would agree to tell him the beautiful blonde haired woman's name.

Keith in his desperation and need for comfort and company, went to the only place he had, his mother's home. He pushed the old, battered and well-known door open, noticing that the lock was sticking a little. He absently thought, 'I must bring my tools over and fix that for Mom.' And as if by thought his mother was standing before him, a smile creased her face. Keith turned his sad eyes to her and forced a smile upon his face as he was engulfed by her in a tight hug.

Shirley took the flowers from the loose grip that her son held them in as she said, "Thank you, there lovely."

Keith shrugged a little allowing his mother to take the flowers that he had bought for his stranger.

Returning from the kitchen with the flowers now in a vase, Shirley found Keith slumped dejectedly on the couch, a sad look upon his face. She placed the flowers on the table and sat next to him, she smiled and said, "The flowers weren't actually for me, were they?"

Smiling sheepishly Keith shook his head no.

"Were they for the young woman in the hospital?" Shirley asked.

"Yes," he whispered.

"Didn't she want them?"

"Don't know. She's gone, checked out of the hospital and the nurse wouldn't tell me who she was."

"What about her case nurse?"

"Nurse Sheldon you mean?"

"Yes, Nurse Sheldon, the two of you seemed to get on well."

"She's not on shift until tomorrow night."

"Why do you look so down then? You'll go and talk with her tomorrow and she'll tell you the young woman's name."

"And what am I meant to say to the young woman? I was the man that found you after your accident. I helped to breathe life into you. I saved your life. Would you like to go out with me?"

Shirley patted his arm and tried to comfort him, "Don't worry Keith. I'm sure that you'll think of something to say."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 - Reunion

Outside, unbeknownst to the son and mother, destiny was about to take over once more to bring the young blonde haired woman and her dark haired rescuer together again. A large moving truck swerved tightly around a corner in the road, throwing its three occupants and all its contents a little off-balance.

"Jesus Charlie! I've only been out of hospital a month, I'm not in any hurry to go back," shouted Paige as she gripped frantically at the dashboard trying to hold herself in place and looked amazedly at her small nephew who was laughing happily and clapping his chubby hands together in excitement.

"Sorry sis, missed seeing the turn," Charlies Gallagher but Charlie to his friends, a short haired bleached blonde man of average height with a handsome arrangement of features, older twin brother of the woman sitting in the passenger seat and father of the small boy sitting between them, said as he straightened the truck back into its own lane.

"You could have gone around the block and come back."

"You think you could do better, you drive!"

"Love too, pull over!"

"Can't, the doctor said you couldn't drive for another month. So stop nagging me and let me drive. You know I don't like doing it at the best of times, let alone in this cumbersome truck," Charlie said a little panicked as he just managed to dodge a parked car.

Crossing her arms over her chest, she sat back in her seat as Paige shouted back, "Fine! But if you don't turn the wheel you're going to run straight into that sports car."

"Shit!" the man shouted as he turned the wheel quickly, preventing the truck from running head first into the car but not from side swiping it and taking most its shiny black paint from its body and a win mirror causing its alarm to start screeching incessantly.

Pulling the moving van to a shaky stop just in front of the now damaged car, his hold on the steering wheel had not diminished. Charlie took a deep breath then turned his head to see if the two most important and loved people in his life were unharmed. His son sat; unhurt and unstressed as he reached his little hand out to try and catch the swinging fuzzy dice that were hooked over the wing mirror. His sister sat however with one hand holding her still broken ribs and the other her bent head. "Paige, are you hurt? Do you need to go to hospital?"

"No, I'll be fine. Just bruised my ribs a little more, is all. I'd be more concerned about the owner of that sports car, if I were you. They're going to be royally pissed at the damage you've caused."

Placing a gentle hand over hers, Charlie reassured himself and asked, "You sure?"

"Positive," Paige managed to say through gritted teeth, impressed that her voice came out normally. She held her breath until her brother and nephew were safely out of earshot from the open window before she pushed back in her seat and blew out hard, trying to relieve the pain and hold the sob back in her throat. The seatbelt though not having held her in her sear had cut into her ribs as she was propelled forward causing her to hit her head hard against the dashboard. She knew that when she lowered her hand from her forehead that it would come away sticky with blood, she could feel the sickly warmth of it pooling under her palm.

Keith rushed down the front path, fumbling to get his keys from his pocket to turn the alarm off, hoping not with a little hope as he thought, 'Maybe the truck just touched the wing mirror? Maybe the truck just got a little too close and the vibration set the alarm off? Maybe… No!' He had stepped off the curb and had immediately seen the broken pieces of the taillight. His heart was in his mouth as he saw that the damage only got worse the further he rounded the car. All the pain had been stripped from the side, leaving only patches of black here and there and the white paint from the truck and bare metal everywhere else. Crouching a little despondently, he picked up what remained of the wing mirror, surprised to find the piece of glass still intact. 'Brand new,' he thought, 'only picked it up before my last tour. I only drove it twice and now look at it!'

Holding his son tightly to his chest, Charlie stepped toward the still attractive but older woman, she was a little plump with short dark blonde hair and the look upon her face told him that it was she who undoubtedly owned the car. "I'm so sorry about your car. I'll pay for any damage I've caused."

"Damn right, you'll pay for the damage!" Keith shouted, anger coursing through him as he stood from his crouched position, the wing mirror still held within his hand.

Charlie turned suddenly, shocked to hear a sudden disembodied voice coming from the side of the car before a man stood, the wing mirror gripped fiercely in his hand and obvious anger coursing through him. "Alright mate, easy. I said that I'd pay for the damage," he hissed through clenched teeth, understanding that the man must be upset but his own anger was barely withheld.

Striding toward the man, Keith came to stand before him and noticed for the first time the small boy held in his arms, trying to keep his voice low and not upset the child, he growled, "Didn't you see the car?"

"No obviously not, if I'd seen the car, I'd have hardly driven into it now, would I?"

"Well, I suggest that you go and get your eyes tested, you must be near blind not to have seen it."

"Near blind! You wanna try driving something that big and awkward, mate," Charlie snorted; his hard London brogue edging his voice.

Snorting a laugh, Keith belittled, "I've been driving a bus twice the size of that truck since I was seventeen."

"I'm not interested in hearing about your career short comings," Charlie shot back.

Stepping between the two men, Shirley held her hands up in surrender, stopping Keith's returning shot and said, "And I suggest that you two take a moment and catch your breath before you both say something that you'll later regret."

In unison the two men growled, "There's nothing that I'll regret saying."

Paige heard her brother's raised voice and carefully slipped from the cab of the truck, stopping suddenly as a sharp pain shot through her still broken ribs. She headed towards her brother and small nephew, who were standing with a blonde woman probably in her early sixties and a good looking older man whose voice had drawn her attention. He had short, thick, sable coloured hair, an attractive but youngish appearing face. He was probably in his middle forties but he wore the age well. He was slim hipped and only a little taller than herself and her heart skipped at the sound of his voice for it was his voice, the man that had held her hand and told her all would be well when she was certain that she was to die and whose dark brown leather coat with its aromatic smelling aftershave had become a staple in her wardrobe. "Charlie, that's enough," she managed to push through her teeth as she looked into the eyes of the still unknown man.

Keith turned to the woman and was both surprised and elated to see the young blonde haired woman that he had met only briefly and who he thought he had lost. He smiled at her as she approached them, catching her eyes and seeming to forget the damage to his car.

Charlie turned back to look at Paige and saw the blood that covered her forehead. He rushed to her, gently taking her arm as he asked, "Paige, you alright?"

Nodding, Paige replied, "I'm fine, Charlie," as she stared at the wreckage of what had once been a picket fence and followed the line of a skid mark across the green lawn, she saw a large dent in the multi-coloured bus. Blinking back tears, she realized that this must have been where her accident had occurred. She had seen her written-off motorbike and had seen the various colours on the wreckage, she had wondered how it had occurred, seeing the colours of the bus she assumed that was how she had stopped, by slamming hard into the side of it.

Charlie shook his head no and turned back to Keith and Shirley and asked, "I'm sorry to impose. I'm sure that it's a cheek after having hit your car but my sister Paige was in a serious accident more than a month ago, would it be possible if she went inside and sat down?"

Shirley nodded her head, a smile creased her face as she replied, "Yes, we know about the accident. It was my son Keith, who found your sister and began CPR."

Charlie looked at the man who was staring at his sister, he spoke softly his voice choked with emotion, "Thank you, truly thank you."

Paige blinked back the tears from her eyes before she unthinkingly stepped forward and kissed Keith lightly on the lips, the action sending jolts of electricity through both and she whispered, "Thank you for saving my life."

Keith gently caressed the side of her face before he replied in a whisper, "I'm pleased that you're alright. I was so worried about you." He managed to drag his eyes from hers and noticed the blood smeared across her forehead, sweeping her silky blonde hair back gently, he saw a large gash above her left eye. He rubbed the pad of his thumb along her cheek, he whispered, "You've been hurt."

"Only a little," Paige replied her breath catching at the play of emotions that flickered through the man's so expressive eyes.

Shirley looked at Paige again and saw that the cut above her eyes was bleeding badly. Her mothering instincts kicked in, she rushed to Paige and said, "Come inside and we'll see to the cut." She linked arms with Paige and led her through to the house, past the multi-coloured bus. She sat Paige on the couch in the lounge and said, "Sit there, try not to move too much. You might have concussion."

Jay began to cry and grumble while he was held in Charlie's arms. He asked as he pulled a bottle from the bag thrown over his shoulder, "Can I heat up a bottle for him?"

Shirley nodded and replied, "Of course, come into the kitchen. Keith, please go into the bathroom and get a bowl of warm water to clean the cut on Paige's forehead."

Keith returned to the lounge as he carried a large bowl of water, a clean cloth and a box of bandages, he sat on the coffee table in front of Paige. He wet the cloth and tilted her head back a little to gently hold her chin. He wiped the cut with loving affection and placed a bandage on it. Keith rubbed his thumb back and forth across her chin a few times then he let go of her face and sat back a little.

Paige brought her face back to look at him, she looked almost shyly into his eyes and smiled a little distractedly and said, "You saved my life, we've damaged your car and accepted your hospitality and we've not even introduced ourselves, that was my brother Charlie Gallagher and his son Jay and I'm Paige."

Keith took her hand gently and shook it, "Nice to finally officially meet you Paige," he said as he smiled as Shirley and Charlie returned from the kitchen, Shirley was carrying a happy Jay and Charlie a heavy-laden tea tray, "This is my mother Shirley and I'm Keith." He turned to his mother and said, "Mom, this is Paige, her brother Charlie and his son Jay, though from the looks of it, you and Jay have already been introduced."

"It's sweet of you to offer us tea Shirley but we must get going. Charlie go and get your insurance info for Keith," Paige said as she needed to get away from the penetrating eyes of the man sitting opposite her and her own emotions that raged within her. Turning to Keith she added, "Can you tell me where Maple Drive is?"

Keith nodded before replying, "It's four blocks over," a little disappointment in his voice.

"Maybe when you have some time Keith, you'd like to come over," Paige offered with a smile as she grabbed the keys to the moving van from Charlie and headed towards it, not waiting for Keith's reply.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 – First Date

The next day Keith pulled his hire car up outside 72 Maple Drive, seeing the damaged moving truck still pulled up in the driveway. The front door of the house was wide open and he found Paige up a ladder; painting with the radio turned up loud. He knocked on the door just as one of his songs was coming to an end.

Turning carefully to reload her paintbrush, Paige saw Keith standing in the doorway, looking up at her. The couple smiled as from within the confines of her overalls, Paige produced a remote control and turned the radio down to a normal level.

Keith smiled and said, "Hi, I hope you don't mind me just dropping in like this, I mean you did offer."

Nodding her head in reply, Paige said, "Of course not, I'm pleased to see you again. Let me finish this section of wall and I'll get you something to drink."

He entered further into the house and said, "I'll make the coffee, you finish your painting."

Turning back to concentrate on the wall, Paige called through to the kitchen, "I'll have tea and you forgot to mention something to me the last time we met."

Returning to the front hall with a jar of coffee in his hand, he asked, a picture of curiosity crossing his face, "Oh, what was that?"

Looking over her shoulder at him, "You said that your name was Keith."

Nodding his reply, he said, "And it is."

"Yes, but you didn't mention that your last name was Partridge, making you Keith Partridge, former member of the music group the Partridge Family and rock 'n' roll legend."

Smiling a little sheepishly he said, "You're right I didn't mention that. Does it make a difference to you?"

Shaking her head no and smiling in return, "No, I still think that you're sexy."

Keith smiled and returned to the kitchen. Five minutes later Keith returned carrying with him two mugs one of coffee and the other of tea and placed them on the table, he returned to the ladder and asked, not with a little concern in his voice, "Should you be doing all this painting with your ribs still broken? I've had broken ribs myself, I know how painful they can be."

Looking down at the upturned face of the sable haired man, with a quick shake of her head, she replied, "Probably not, but if I don't do it, no one else will."

"Come down. Take a break and drink your tea," he said as he reached up and placed his hands gently on her hips, helping her down the ladder.

The couple sat on the dustsheet covered couch, each with a steaming mug before them, Paige took a sip of her tea and then said, "For an American, you don't make a bad cup of tea."

Keith smiled and replied, "Glad you like it."

"Have you got the quote for the damage on your car yet?"

Shaking his head, he replied, "No, not yet. My insurance company are taking care of it, tell your brother not to worry about it."

"He's really not a good driver. He hardly ever drives, it was just because of the accident and me not being able to drive, that he did and it was just his dumb luck or yours that we happened to hit your car."

A smile crossed Keith's face as he replied, "Well, I'm delighted that you did. When I got back from tour and you'd checked out of the hospital, I'd thought that I'd lost you."

"And that would have upset you? If you'd not been able to find me, I mean?"

Keith nodded as a slight smile and blush passed across his handsome face. He took a sip of his coffee, looking back up at her, he asked, "Would you like to go out with me? Maybe we could have dinner and go dancing or see a movie?"

"I would love to go out with you," Paige replied with a delighted smile.

"What about tonight?"

"Tonight would be wonderful."

A frown crossed Keith's face as he added, "I'm meant to be having dinner with my family tonight. It's a tradition; whenever I'm in town I'm required there. It's the only time that we have a chance to catch up. You can come with me, be my date? It'll please Mom to see me with such a nice young woman."

Paige shook her head, "If it's a family tradition, I really shouldn't be there. After all, I've only known you a very short time. We'll make the date another day, I don't mind."

Keith, unable to resist touching he any longer, he reached out and gently cupped her cheek as he whispered, "I want you there."

Paige leant into his touch and nodded her agreement, before she added, "You had better drink up otherwise I'll still be in my overalls when you come to pick me up."

He smiled and swept his eyes across her before he leant in and kissed her slowly before he pulled back a little and whispered, "You could look good in anything but I'll get going." He took a gulp of his coffee and stood and at the front door added, "Be careful up that ladder and I'll see you at about seven," he smiled and blew her a kiss before closing the door behind him.

She watched him with a smile on her face before she grabbed both of their mugs and put them in the kitchen sink before she rushed up to her room to look for something to wear as she had not even thought about unpacking her things yet.

Later that evening as Keith pulled up outside the Partridge household, he turned to Paige and said as he handed her a single red rose, "You look beautiful, I wanted to say that before but with the way your brother was looking at me, it didn't seem the right time."

Paige laughed a little and said, "Don't worry about Charlie, he's just ridiculously overprotective and you don't look so bad yourself," she smiled and brought the rose to her nose to smell it softly.

Looking toward the house, Keith nodded and said, "So shall we?"

She turned to him and said, "Maybe this isn't such a good idea after all."

Keith turned sad eyes to her and said, "You don't want to go out with me, I understand, what with the age difference between us and then my reputation with women, I understand." He turned the ignition back on before he added, "I'll take you back home."

Placing a comforting hand over his arm to stop him from putting the car into gear, Paige explained, "That's not what I meant, I mean maybe this isn't such a good idea, me coming with you to your family's dinner. I've never been to a family dinner before it's always just been me and Charlie until Jay arrived and he's not got a lot to say for himself, not yet anyway. I have no idea how I'm meant to behave or react…"

He smiled relieved, then covered his mouth with his hand as he tried to hide his laughter, that her torrent of babbling had caused within him.

"Hey, what's so funny?" she asked a little cross with the man sitting next to her.

"Nothing, you're just adorable when you babble," he replied, he wanted to help take away her anxiety and wipe the cross look from her beautiful face and he could only think of one way of doing it and he leant in and captured her lips in a sweet kiss.

As Keith pulled away, Paige touched her lips and whispered, "Oh."

He smiled at her reaction as he got from the car and opened her door and escorted her to the front door of the Partridge household. He had to admit he was a little nervous himself thinking back to all the times he had brought a girl home when he had still lived there, though everybody was older now and more mature, expect Danny there was always Danny, he had not changed since he was ten; a forty-give year old midget in a ten year olds body as Reuben Kincaid was so fond of saying, he could not help but smile as he linked hands with Paige and opened the front door and called, "Hello, anyone at home?"

"Hi, honey," Shirley called from the kitchen, "Can you help set the table? We're one short because Laurie's away on business but it's great to have you here honey."

Keith smiled and gently squeezed Paige's hand encouragingly as he pulled her gently from the hall and called back through to the kitchen, "Mom, I've brought a friend with me so I hope that you've made enough to eat."

"A friend, what type of friend?" Shirley questioned as she pushed the kitchen door open and saw the young woman that had so occupied her oldest son's thoughts since the accident, she smiled even though she was concerned for her son and said, "It's nice to see you again Paige," as she leant in and kissed Keith's cheek.

"Hello, Mrs. Partridge, I hope that I'm not intruding into your family dinner," Paige replied with a nervous smile.

"Of course not," Shirley stated with a forced smile as she noticed her son's grip on the young woman's hand, she truly hoped that this so young woman was not just blindsided by Keith's fame and actually cared for her son and his gentle heart.

Keith smiled at the two women and said, "Paige and I will help set the table. Are we the first ones here or is Danny in the kitchen sampling the food?"

"Hey!" a muffled reply came from the kitchen, "I was just making sure that everything was cooked all the way through," Danny stated as he entered the lounge and saw Paige, he rapidly swallowed the food in his mouth and smiled at her before he said, "I'm Danny Partridge, the younger, more talented and attractive Partridge."

Keith rolled his eyes and said as he handed Paige the napkins, "Paige, this is my kid brother Danny as you can see; he's the modest one of us."

Paige laughed gently and smiled at Danny and said, "It's nice to meet you Danny."

"Danny," called Shirley from the kitchen, "Come help me."

"Sure Mom," shouted back Danny as he flashed Paige another smile and disappeared back into the kitchen.

Keith turned to Paige and took her hand and said, "Sorry about Danny but that's Danny, what can I do?"

"It's fine," she replied as she leant forward and whispered before taking his lips in a kiss, "For the record I think you're more attractive."

The front door crashed open as Chris and Tracy with Reuben following at a slower pace behind raced into the hall; broke the couple's kiss as both blushed just a little. "Hey, I remember you," Chris said as he dropped his bag and jacket in the hall as he had always done as a child, "You're the girl from the accident, good to see that everything is all healed, though you must have received more of a head injury than I first thought to be kissing my brother," Chris laughed as he took off with Keith close behind him.

Paige laughed as she watched the antics of the two grown men acting as children as they raced around the couch until Keith leaped over and managed to grab his youngest brother in a headlock.

"Keith, Chris! Stop it this instant!" Shirley shouted as she stepped from the kitchen, brought out by the loud cries of the two men.

Keith and Chris stopped with just a little light punches to each other before Shirley once again took charge and said, "Good, everybody's here, Paige, this is Chris, Tracy my youngest and our manage and dear friend Reuben Kincaid, everybody this is Paige Gallagher. Now if you two," turning to look at Keith and Chris, "are prepared to behave as grown adults or at least the best you can manage, dinner is ready."

Keith and Paige walked the four blocks back to her townhouse, both enjoying the late evening air of the early spring, he walked with her up the front path and at her door; he took her eyes and unlocked it for her. Turning to Paige he took her face gently between his hands and leant in slowly allowing Paige to pull back if she wished before he kissed each of her cheeks, her forehead, both her eyelids, the tips of her nose, her chin and placed two kisses at the corners of her mouth before he took her lips in a slight open mouthed kiss. He pulled back slightly and whispered against her lips, "Thanks for coming with me tonight."

"It was my pleasure," she whispered back.

Smiling Keith added, "Can I come by and see you tomorrow? I know it might seem pushy, it's just that I'm leaving to go on tour again in a couple of days and I want to spend as much time with you as I can."

Paige having placed her hands lightly on his hips, she smiled and replied before she leant in and returned his kiss, "I'd like that." Gently breaking the kiss she asked with a gentle laugh, "I just have to ask, that story that you're Mum told about Danny and the publicity story, was that really true?"

"My English teacher read love poetry to me," he said as he cringed a little at the memory only to smile to hear Paige laugh.

"And did you really get black garters thrown at you?"

"It seemed like all the girls were wearing them or throwing them at me."

"You must have been one popular guy," Paige said with a smile.

Running his thumbs across her cheeks, Keith said, "There's only one girl that I want to be popular with."

Paige smiled and pecked at his lips.

Smiling in return Keith said, "Go on, I know what else you want to ask."

She laughed and said, "Do you really have a rose tattoo on your behind because your first love was named Rose?"

Keith leant his head back and laughed heartedly, "First off my first love wasn't name Rose and secondly there's only way you'll find out and I'm not giving away any hints," he replied as he winked and caught her lips in a kiss again.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 – Missed

The next day Keith arrived at Paige and Charlie's townhouse at around nine o'clock in the morning and rang the bell and waited, he knew it was still fairly early but he hoped that someone would be up and about.

Paige opened the door dressed in white spaghetti strapped top and overalls that had once been white but were now speckled with various colours of paint. She was surprised to see Keith standing at the door dressed in a pair of old jeans and a light weight woollen jumper. "Keith, I didn't expect you here so early or I would have worn something a little more…well you know."

He smiled and reached out to brush his hand across her cheek as he said, "You look gorgeous. I'm here early because I thought I could help you with the painting."

"Hmm, I'm not sure about that," Paige said with a lightness in her voice as she linked hands with Keith and pulled him into the hall and closed the door behind them before taking his lips in a searing kiss. Eventually she broke the kiss, leaving a slightly stunned Keith, she added, "I know that you can play the guitar and sing but what are your credentials when it comes to painting? I mean how do I know you can even paint?"

Keith looked at her moment before he grabbed her and spun them before he pushed her hard up against the front door and returned the searing kiss to leave Paige completely breathless before he said, "I was the one that painted the Partridge bus and I've painted most of the houses I've lived in."

She took a moment to enjoy being held by the man that was increasingly becoming a part of her life before she added mockingly, "The Partridge bus? That's your credentials that thing looks like a painting nightmare come to life, all those colours, yuck and as for your house I haven't seen it but I guess that I'll trust you. What's the worst that can happen? I can always paint over anything I'm not happy with."

"Hey, give a guy a break, I'm leaving tomorrow so be nice," he said as he reluctantly let her lips from his arms and followed her upstairs to what from the colours was to become Jay's bedroom. "And you mocked me for the colours of the bus?" he asked as he looked at all the pots of colour upon the floor.

"Bright colours are good for children, it encourages their imagination," she stated proudly as she climbed the ladder and then turned with a sheepish look on her face, "Well at least that's what the book said anyway. I'm hoping to do a kind of jungle scene in here but art isn't really my thing, it's much more Charlie's but with his job being so demanding its been left to me, so poor Jay will end up with a lion that will probably look more like a giraffe," as she laughed gently.

"So what is your thing?" Keith asked as he grabbed a paint brush and a small pot of paint and began to paint in the already sketched out image on the wall.

"Oh," Paige said suddenly surprised by the man's question as she turned and a few drops of paint fell on the sable hair of the man crouching below her. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry, that was completely unintentional but it'll wash out trust me, I've ended up with paint everywhere and it all comes off, eventually anyway."

"You know if I were a vindictive man I'd throw this whole can of paint all over you," Keith said threateningly as he stood; the can of paint still in his hand.

"Hey, come on," Paige said as she scrambled down the ladder and stepped away from Keith. "It was an accident and besides it was your fault, you surprised me with your question that's all."

"My fault, huh?" he stated as he looked at the can of paint and then at Paige, a gleam of mischief in his eyes. "Explain."

"Well, you asked what my thing was and coming from you that's a big ask and so you kind of threw me for a loop there and I guess that's how you ended up wearing the paint, but at least it's only a few drops, it could have been worse."

"I've got to admit it's been a while since I've done the whole dating thing, there's not really a lot of time for dating with my tour schedule but I'm pretty sure that I can remember from when I was younger that asking someone what their thing is, is a pretty basic question, have things changed so much?"

"No, no, it's not that, it's just well, I feel a little silly admitting to you what it is."

"Why are you a stripper?" Keith asked with a smile in his voice as his eyes drifted across her body and distinctive gleam of desire in his eye.

"No! Do I look like a stripper?"

Keith shrugged a little, "Maybe?"

A dangerous gleam entered Paige's eyes as she advanced on Keith the paint brush still in her hand, "Take that back Partridge or I'll leave you green all over and in places that you'll never be able to wash off!"

Keith laughed heartedly as he grabbed her, pinning he arms down to her sides and kissed her gently before he said, "Okay, you don't look like a stripper but if you were with your body, you'd make a fortune."

"Remind me again, why I'm putting up with you?" Paige asked.

"Hmm, maybe this will help," Keith replied as he took her lips once more in a deep kiss. Pulling back so his lips were still brushing lightly across hers, he asked, "Do you remember now?"

Nodding, she replied, "It's coming back to me."

Smiling Keith said, "So tell me, what your thing is? You have to now since you've official bought me, now that I've been stained with paint, I can't be returned."

Resting her head against his chest, she mumbled quickly, "Iplaytheviolin."

"I'm sorry, what was that?"

Sighing, Paige lifted her head and said, "I play the violin."

A smile split Keith's face as he said, "Wow, I would love to hear you play."

Shrugging she replied, "That's how the accident happened, I was coming back from an audition, nothing fancy just the San Pueblo Mall orchestra, though I'm not sure that a violinist, a cellist, and a pianist can be called an orchestra but that's what they like to say."

"Did you get the gig?"

Paige nodded as a smile crept across her face.

"That's amazing Paige, I'm so proud of you," he said as he kissed her lightly and then added, "Why were you embarrassed to tell me?"

"Oh, come on Keith, that's a silly question, your Keith Partridge former member of the Partridge Family and rock 'n' roll legend who packs out theatres in mere minutes."

He placed his lips against her forehead and said, "That's right, I'm Keith; just an ordinary guy that is being continually amazed by this wonderful woman in my arms, forget the other Keith, he's just an image."

She smiled despite herself and said, "I really do prefer just Keith."

"Good," he replied softly and tightened his grip on her.

The private car pulled slowly away from the lights as Keith with his manager Terry Reign and his personal assistant Maddy were heading to the airport. Keith had not said a lot since Terry and Maddy had arrived first thing that morning, he was always a little quiet just before a big tour but this time it just seemed so much worse. He watched as the quiet streets of San Pueblo, the one place where he could really be himself slipped by, he suddenly called to the driver, "Turn into Maple Drive."

"Yes, Mr. Partridge," the driver replied as he made the sharp turn.

Terry looked up from his phone and asked irritated, "Where are we going? We're going to be late for the flight."

Keith with a shy smile playing about his lips said, "I've got to see someone before we go."

Terry shook his head but did not comment; he assumed that Keith had probably remembered something that he had left at one of his one-night stands and decided that he wanted to pick it up before they left for the tour, "Just be quick."

The private car pulled up outside a two-story townhouse with a black sedan parked in the driveway. Keith called to the driver as he pushed open the door and got out, "Can you pop the trunk, I need to get something." He went to the back of the car and stood there for a moment as he rustled around in his travel-on luggage before he slammed the trunk shut and jogged up the front path and rang the doorbell.

Paige stopped mid-stride and turned and pulled open the front door, a smile instantly broke across her beautiful face as she tapped gently at his chest and said, "I thought you were meant to be on your way to the airport."

Keith smiled and replied, "I am, the car is waiting. I just wanted to give you these; a full list of all the dates, venues and hotels where I'll be while I'm on tour, these roses and this, but please I don't want you to open it until I've gone. Okay?"

She leant forward and kissed him softly on the lips before she replied, "I don't know what to say but thank you."

He brushed his thumb across her lips and said, "As long as you don't forget me while I'm gone, there's no need to thank me." He kissed her again and held the kiss a little longer before he pulled away and whispered, "I'm going to miss you."

Terry watched from the car as Keith grabbed from the trunk a pile of papers that looked remarkably like their tour schedule, a bunch of long stemmed red roses and a long, flat box which looked like it had come from a jewellers. He was worried about the gifts, Keith never bought gifts for any of his one-night stands before, nor had he insisted on seeing any woman before they left for a tour and then there was the almost loving way that he was caressing her lips gently with his thumb; all set alarm bells off in Terry's mind. He would have to watch this relationship very closely, if Keith became involved seriously with a woman and decided that he wanted to settle down, their tour schedule would be cut and Keith would insist that he spent a lot less than the ten months that they currently spent now touring. He would have to remind Keith of the delights of touring.

The sound of the car's horn beeping and the sight of Terry waving frantically at Keith; made the couple smile, he turned back to Paige and said, "I think I'm wanted. Terry always insists on being at the airport two hours before the time that we need to be there." He kissed her again and turned and jogged down the front path, halfway he turned and returned to Paige and kissed her again and whispered, "I miss you already. Don't forget me."

Paige smiled as she watched him go, missing him but she enjoyed the retreating view of Keith's backside in his jeans. She watched the car out of sight then closed the front door behind her. She placed the tour schedule in the desk drawer and locked it, ensuring its safety from Jay. She smelt the roses and smiled, no one had ever bought her roses before only Keith. She pulled the paper off the small velvet lined box and opened the lid. She dropped into the chair, surprised by the diamond pendant and white gold chain that lay nested inside. She pulled it out and looked amazedly at it, she placed it about her neck, fastening the catch and moved to the mirror and looked at her reflection. She wished that Keith had allowed her to open the box while he was still with her so she could have shown him how thankful she was for it.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 – Coming Home

Keith's tour was coming to an end and Paige was expecting him back in San Pueblo any day now and while they had spoken nearly every day he had been away, it had not been the same as having him in her arms. Every knock on the front door made her heart skip in the hope that it would be him. Charlie in his exasperation and need to get his sister's mind off Keith Partridge had arranged for a dinner party with Jane his girlfriend and three of his less dubious friends and his son Jay and of course Paige. The three Gallagher's were in the kitchen, Jay was sitting in his high-chair drawing happily, Charlie was standing over the hotplate concentrating on the sauce for the pasta and the water was boiling away beside him and Paige was at the butcher's block preparing the starters for the evening as that was the easiest of the things to prepare for their meal.

A ring of the doorbell caused Paige to remove her apron as she said, "I thought you told everyone to be here at eight, it's only half past six."

Charlie turned to look back at his sister a moment before he replied, "I did," he added quickly, "If that's another lot of roses from your friend, I'm moving out! I can't take it anymore! Everything smells of roses, even me!"

"Charlie don't exaggerate there aren't flowers everywhere! Keith's just been a little over generous with his flower giving that's all but its sweet and I like him, so shut up!" Paige said as she stormed out of the kitchen, rather like a child would.

Keith had tried phoning Paige just as he had gotten on the flight but there had been no reply, and for some reason the in-flight phone had not been working. He had hoped that she would have been able to meet him at the airport; he knew it was a bit selfish of him to ask that of her but he had just missed her so much that even the hour's drive from the airport to her home had seemed too long without her. Before he left the airport he purchased long stemmed red roses much to Terry's annoyance and had insisted in the car on the way to his home that he be dropped off at Paige's townhouse. Terry had tried to convince him against it, that he needed to rest his voice, he needed his sleep but Keith ignored the other man and as the car pulled up to the curb, he leant over and brushed a kiss against Maddy's cheek before he got from the car and with the help of the driver carried his luggage up to the front door.

Terry shook his head as he watched Keith and thought out loud, "I can't believe that he still remembers her. He's never remembered any of his other one-night stands."

Maddy, Keith's personal assistant smiled and said, "That's because she's not one of his one-night stands. He's falling in love with her, why can't you understand that?"

Turning to look at the woman beside him, Terry said more than a little bitterly, "Because if he is falling for her, he'll want to stop touring and you and me, could be out of a job."

Maddy laughed and replied, "You can't possibly think that? Keith loves to perform. The only thing that'll be different will be that he'll be happy. Surely you want that for Keith?"

Sighing, Terry nodded, "Yeah, I guess so. Just be prepared to have a lot more down time."

Paige as she approached the front door; adjusted the straps on her knee length black dress and grabbed her sandals that she had left on the bottom stair and placed them on her feet. She pulled the door open and standing before her was a man, close to being the same height as Keith with his face hidden behind a large bunch of long stemmed roses. She smiled and laughed, as she said to the still faceless man, "My brother keeps telling me that if my friend keeps sending me flowers, he's going to move out! He thinks the house is becoming a florist's."

Keith smiled and lowered the flowers to reveal his face as he shrugged a little and said, "Guess I overdid the flowers, huh? And only a friend, I had hoped I was more than a friend."

Paige smiled in delight and rushed forward and wrapped Keith in a hug before taking his lips in a breathless, passion filled kiss.

He dropped the roses and willingly wrapped his own arms about her waist to life her a little and kissed her back with equal ferocity. The need for oxygen forced the couple apart but only an inch, he mumbled, "Hmm, I missed you too and if that's how you greet a friend, I can live with being called a friend."

She smiled and whispered, "Boyfriend."

"Boyfriend, huh? Well, that's certainly better but let's try to make it something more."

"Thank you for all the roses; I've never received so many."

Keith smiled and kissed her lightly again, before he took the pendant that he had bought for Paige between his fingers and ran the pad of his thumb over the bare skin of her breastbone, "I wasn't sure if you'd like this but when I saw it, I had to buy it for you."

"You shouldn't have bought it, I'm sure that it was absurdly expensive. But as you did buy it and didn't let me open it while you were here, I love it. It's the nicest present that anyone has ever bought me, not that I've received many presents but still, I love it."

He leant forward slightly and mumbled against her lips, "Has anyone ever told you that you're adorable when you ramble?"

She laughed and replied, "Yes, you," before she bit lightly at his lips and added, "Come on, it's getting cold out."

He eagerly followed Paige into the warmly lit front entrance and only stopped her from closing the door as he said, "Wait, my luggage and your flowers are still outside."

A little surprised, she asked, "You came straight here from the airport?"

He nodded a little sheepishly before he replied, "I couldn't wait to see you any longer."

With the help of Paige, Keith's luggage, guitar cases and her roses were brought in from the front step. Paige placed the new lot of flowers upon the hall table and wrapped her arms once more about Keith's neck and ran her hand through the hair at its nape before she asked, "Now what do you want first; something to drink, something to eat or a shower?"

The smouldering passion found within his eyes told her exactly what he wanted first but he replied, "A shower, if that's alright."

She pulled back more than a little reluctantly and replied, "Of course, it's up the stairs, to the left, end of the hall. There should be clean towels in there but if there isn't; cupboard on the right."

Keith smiled and ran his hands slowly along Paige's body as his own longed for him to casually ask her if she wanted to join him in the shower. Instead, he turned and grabbed his suitbag and mounted the stairs two at a time as he noticed that he really had overdone the roses, the front entrance was filled, as were the parts of the lounge that he could see, even every second tread of the stairs had a vase full of the blooms.

Paige watched the retreating form of her new love up the stairs, admitting to herself that she quite enjoyed the view. She picked the roses up and returned to the kitchen, as she pushed the swinging door open and was confronted by the sight of Charlie and Jane kissed passionately, she smiled and coughed audibly to make her presence in the room known to the couple as she went to search through the cupboards for a container to put the flowers in.

Jane turned and smiled at the younger blonde haired woman and said, "Hey Paige, nice roses. Still coming from your friend?"

Before Paige could reply, Charlie groaned and said, "More flowers? No, Paige please, tell Keith not to send anymore, I can't take it! I eat, sleep, even dream of roses. It's driving me insane."

"Don't be so melodramatic Charlie!" stated Paige as she placed the red blooms upon the dining table, "Besides there won't be any more flowers for a while anyway."

"Oh, why?" asked Charlie concerned for the safety of his sister's heart.

"Because," Paige replied beaming at him, "Keith's back from his tour, he's upstairs taking a shower."

Charlie smiled in return and gave his sister a light hug, "I'm happy for you, Paige. So I take it that there'll be one more joining us for dinner?"

"You bet, he's only had airport foot and room service to live on for the last couple of months, I'm sure that he'll be delighted to have a home cooked meal," Paige replied.

"Well, it's lucky that it's not your turn to cook then isn't it?" Charlie said with a laugh as he skilfully ducked the wet sponge that came whizzing past his ear.

Laughing at the antics of the twins, Jane asked, "So what's the name of your new guy, Paige?"

Bending down to look into the fridge as she searched for the bottles of red and white wine that Charlie had placed in there earlier, "Keith Partridge," she replied distractedly.

An almost strangled cry made both Paige and Charlie turn from their respective preparations for the evening as they say Jane, drop into a chair at the kitchen table and appeared to their eyes to be hyperventilating.

Concerned looks crossed the twin's faces as Paige got a drink of water for the other woman while Charlie moved to the side of his girlfriend and placed a hand on her shoulder and asked, "Jane, what's wrong?"

Jane was unable to answer she could only follow the movements of Paige as she returned with the glass of iced water. 'Keith Partridge,' her mind kept repeating, 'my boyfriend's sister is dating Keith Partridge.'

Eventually having gotten Jane's breathing under control once more with lots of reassurances that Keith really was just a man, the same as any other and with a promise that she would get to meet him and that Paige would ask him for an autograph for her. Paige returned upstairs in search of her new love.

She tapped quietly at her bedroom door but received no reply and she pushed it open, assuming that Keith was still in the shower. She was a little surprised to find him instead asleep on her bed wearing only his jeans. She smiled and quietly walked toward him, she perched herself on the edge of the bed and reached a gentle hand out toward him to brush a lock of hair from his face. She wondered for a moment if she should wake him for dinner or leave him be, eventually she decided that he must obviously have been exhausted to have been halfway through dressing and had to lie down to rest a minute, leaving his socks and shirt on the corner of her bed and his boots dropped nearby on the floor.

She debated a moment whether to just cover him with the blankets and return downstairs or remove his jeans before covering him. She decided that he would sleep a lot more comfortably without his jeans, licking her suddenly dry lips a little nervously; she reached her hands out and slowly brushed her fingertips down over his smooth stomach, freezing when she heard Keith moan a little at her touch, but he did not wake. She pulled at his button-down jeans and prayed that Keith would not wake and find her undressing him. She tugged softly at his jeans and pulled them down off his lean but muscled legs. She folded the material up and placed the jeans on a chair and she turned and stood a moment admiring her love wearing only black boxer shorts. She saw Keith shiver a little at the sudden cold, she walked forward and covered him with the blankets and placed a soft kiss across his slightly parted lips and returned downstairs.


End file.
